Syria vows `iron fist` as Damascus dead buried

Damascus: Syria prepared on Saturday to bury 26
people killed in a Damascus suicide bombing as the authorities
vowed an "iron fist" in response to the "terrorist" attack,
the second such incident in two weeks.

The opposition pointed the finger at the regime itself,
as it did after similar attacks on December 23, in which 44
people died.

The bomber blew himself up near a school in the
historic Midan quarter, Interior Minister Lieutenant General
Mohammad al-Shaar was quoted as saying.

Sixty-three people were also wounded, the government
said.

Another 17 civilians were shot dead on Friday in the
daily unrest, activists said.

The interior ministry branded the bombing "a new
terrorist escalation" and said more than 10 kilos (22 pounds)
of explosives were used.

"We will strike with an iron fist all those who undermine
the security of the nation," a ministry statement said.
Opposition factions blamed President Bashar al-Assad`s
government for the bombing and called on Arab and Western
forces to end the bloodshed.

"We hold the regime, its agents and its gangs, fully
responsible for this crime," said the Muslim Brotherhood,
which had also accused the government of orchestrating twin
suicide attacks in Damascus on December 23.

The umbrella Syrian National Council, which includes the
Brotherhood, said Friday`s bombing "clearly bears the regime`s
fingerprints."

The United States condemned the attack, again calling for
Assad to step down, while UN chief Ban Ki-moon said "all
violence is unacceptable and must stop immediately."

"Without doubt, the unity and vigilance of the Syrian
government and people are disappointing the enemies of Syria
who think only of internal war, breaking up the country and
making it submit to the demands of the axis of America and
Zionism."

Damascus blamed al Qaeda for December`s twin bombings,
while the opposition accused the government.
Friday saw a similar exchange of accusations.

The ruling Baath party called the attack "a terrorist act
that is a part of the plot hatched against Syria," state media
reported. The plot "coincides with the statements made by
opposition groups and by French and American officials," it
said.

The Muslim Brotherhood called for an international probe,
claiming the attack benefited the regime.

The SNC said the UN Security Council had to take up the
matter of the bloodshed, which the world body estimated in
December had killed more than 5,000 people since pro-democracy
protests erupted in March.